Electric-current interrupter.



I PATENTED OCT. 30, 1906. J. B. WANTZ. v ELECTRIC CURRENT INTBRRUPTER.

Arrmonxo'urnsn 110v. 22. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTBD- OUT. 30, 1906.

J. B. WANTZ. ELEGTRIG CURRENT INTERRUPTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. 1905.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2.

. wanz;

JULIUS B. VVANTZ. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR COMPANY,

TO vicros ELECTRIC OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,'A CORPORATION OF ILLlNOlS.

ELECTRiC CUQFlENT EMTEQRUPTEFL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get, 3C9, 1995f Application filed November 22,1905. Seria1No.288.57'7.

To (all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JULIUS) B. WANTZ, 'a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric-Current Interrupters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvement in electric-current interrupters for use more especially in connection with electrotherapeutical apparatus; and my object is to provide a simple and improved device of this class capable of ready adjustment to produce interruptions at any speed throughout a comparatively wide range and with great accuracy with reference to an indicator thereon. H

In carrying out my invention I providea cylinder or body of "insulating material mounted in a train of spring-driven gears which terminate in an escapement or governor adjustable in accordance with a dial and pointer or equivalent speed-indicating means to effect the desired speed of rotation of the cylinder, the cylinder being )rovided with separate peripheral circuit ma ing and breaking contact-points positioned in increasing numbers in parallel annular spaces, to either of which the current may be directed by a particular brush to effect a number of interruptions in each rotation of the cylinder in accordance with the number of contact-- points in the particular space.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a face View of my improved interrupter; Fig. 2, a section through the device on line 2 in Fig. 3 and showing diagrammatically an electric switch and therapeutic electrodes in connection therewith; Fig. 3, a view in side elevation of the mechanism; Fig. 4, a rotary cylinder of insulating material mounted on the shaft of one of the gears of the train and carrying independent series of making and brea ting contacts; Figs. 5, 6, and 7, sections taken, respectively, on lines 5, 5, and '7 in Fig. 4-; Figs. 8 and 9, sections taken on line 8 in Fig. 3 and showing a pointer in two' extreme positions with reference to a dial; and Fig. 10, a broken detailed View of speed-goverxn ing mechanism. I

The frame of the device comprises a forward plate or disk A and a rear plate or disk B, connected by'tie-rods e in a manner usual Attached in spaced a dial-plate C. at oneend to one of in clock construction. relation to the plate A is D is a spring fastened the tie-rodsc and at its opposite end to an arbor or Winding-post b, carrying a gearwheel 0, forming the first of a train of clockwork gears d. The final gear of the train d meshes with a pinion e on a shaft F, which is the escapement or governor shaft. Fixed to the shaft F, adjacent to 'or integral with the pinion e, is a sleeve f. On the forward end portion of the shaft l is a sliding sleeve g, having enlarged portion it, forming the hub of a friction-diski. Attached at opposite ends to the parts f it are thin spring-metal strips which may be three in number equidistant around the shaft F. The springstrips are provided midway between then ends with weighting buttons Z. Fastened against inner side of the late A. is a sprin -strip G, provided with a 'rriction-head m, w rich bears normally against the inner friction-face of the disks.

Mountedbetween the dates A C in the 0 sitions shown and extending through the atter late is a fixed internallythreaded sleeve 72, tlirough which iasses a screw li, hearing normally against the stri or brake-spring G. The screw ii is connects at its outer end, b means of a set-screw p, with a concave disk having in its face a pointer-mark q. Integral with the disk is a milled thunil iece r, by means of which the pointei'nisli may be turned to advance or retract the On the faceplate C around the peinterdisk I is marked a dial K, the graduated scale of which may be as shown. The disk I carries a pin or stop 8, and fastened to the diets C is a stop-pin t, against opposite'sides oi which the pin .9 will contact in the two extreme positions of the pointer q.

The spring I) when wound tends to move the train of gears (Z and rotate the escapement or governor shaft F. The parts are so arranged that when the pointer is tu .d to the figure (9 of the dial the screw .s retracted su cntly to cause the frietionhcad of the brain iring (l to press firmly against the inner fr n- .we of the disk '4' ant: pre vent rotation of the governor-1draft, thus, stopping movement of the train. of gears, Tin-hing of thepointcr along the graduated scale or dial K. forces the spring G in the in screw ll.

ward direction to carry its friction-head m away from the disk '2'. The governor-shaft F being thus ireed rotates, and as its speed in creases the weights Z are thrown out by centrifugal 1 orce, thereby contracting the springs 7r hntil the diskcontacts again with't'he trio tion head or brake m.

The governing mechanism described operates in a well-known manner to regulate the' speed of rotation of the escapementshait F, and consequently the relative speeds of re tation of the gears of the train (1. In the present instance the adjustment may be such that when the pointer is turned to figure 1. the shaft L in the train of gears will rotate twenty-five times per minute and increase by steps according to the dial K until when the pointer (1 reaches figure 9 the said sha'Ft will rotate ninety-five times per minute. As shown in Fig. 9, when the pointer is at 9 the stop 8 contacts with the stop 3 to prevent turther increase of s eed.

Mounted on t e shaft L of the train gears is a body or cylinder M of insulating material, provided in the present instance with three annular ridges o w :12. Exten' ding from the shaft 11 to the periphery of the ridge '0 is a contact point or pin 12. Extending from the shaft L to the periphery of the ridge to are two contact-pins 13, and extending from the shaft L to the periphery of the ridge :0 are six contact-pins 14.

N is a block or late of insulating material fastened to the p ate A and forming a support for three spring-contacts or brushes 15, 16, and 17, which bear, respectively, against the ridges o 'w 00.

P is an electric switch having a handle 18 and contacts 1.9, 20, and 21. The contact 19 is wired to the contact-spring 15, the contact 20 tothe contact-spring 16, and the contact 21 to the contact-spring 17. Wires 22 may extend, respectively, from the handle or switch-lever 18 and any part of the casing of the train. of gears and carry suitable electrodes 23.

As before stated, the shaft L, and conseuently the cylinder M, rotates at the speed designated by the dial. Nheu the switchhandle is moved to the contact 19, current will pass through the contact-spring 15, causing the pin 12 to males and break the current once in each revolution of the cylinder.

When the handle is turned to the contact the current will pass through the contactspring 16, causingthe pins 13 to make and break the current twice with each. revolution of the cylinder M, and when the switch-ham die is moved to the contact 21 the current will through the' contact-spring 17, causing the pins 14 to make and break the current six times with each revolution of the cylinder M. A table Q on the dial-plate indicates to the operator the number of interruptions per minute obtained in the various adjustments. For example, when the switchlever is turned to the contact 19 and the pointer g is turned to 1 twenty-five interrup'tions per minute will occur. While the switch-handle remains at the contact 19, the pointer may be tunied to cause the brake mechanism to effect increases in speed of rotation 1 and consequent interruption in accordance with the first line of l sures of the tableQ. Turning of the switc i-handle to the contact 20 gives twice the number of in terruptions oi the first table, and movement of the switch-handle to the contact 21 roduces six times the number of the first table, whereby any number of interruptions per minute between twenty-five and five hundred and seventy may be produced with at least reasonable accuracy.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric-current interrupter, the combination with a frame and speed-indicator, of a train of gears with actuating means therefor mounted m the tram e, a body of insulating material operatively connected with the gears to be rotated thereby, a current making and breakin contact on said'body, a brush against which said body rotates to cause the contact thereon to encounter the brush once in each rotation, a governor for regulating the speed of rotation of said body, and mechanism for controlling the governor from said indicator.

2. in an electric-current interrupter, the combination with a frame and speed-indicater, ot a train of gears with actuatin means therefor mounted inthe frame, a ho y of in sulating material operatively connected with said gears to be rotated thereby, numerically increasing circuit making and breaking contacts in (.lii'i'erent annular spaces along said body, a brush at each. said space against which said body rotates to cause the contacts thereon to encounter a brush in each revolution of the body, means for switching said brushes individually into and out of the electric circuit, a governor for regulating the speed of rotation. of said body, and mechanism for controlling the governor from said indicator.

-springactuated train of gears in said frame termi hating in a readily-c mtrollable speed-governor, means on the frame for adjusting the governor to regulate thespeed of rotation of the gears, an insulatingcylinder on the shaft of a gear of the train, numerically-increasing circuit making and breaking contact-poi11ts in adjacent annular spaces along said cylinder, a brush bearing against each said space, and means for switchin' the brushes individually into and out of t is electric circuit.

a. in electric-current intcrru iter, the combination of a casing having a die a clocku. in an electric-current interrupter, the comlnnatlon with a frame, of a cloc spring-actuated train of gears'in said casing terminating in readily-controllable speedgovernor mechanism, a pointer on the dial operatively connected with said mechanism for controlling the speed ofthe train in accordance with the indications on the dial, an

, insulating-cylinder on the shaft of a gear of the train, numerically-increasing circuit making and breaking contact-p0ints in adjacent annular spaces along said cylinder, a brush bearing against each said space, and means for switching the brushes individually into and out of the electric circuit.

5. In an electric-current interrupter, the combination witha frame and speed-indicator, of a train of gears with actuatin means therefor mounted in the frame, a ho y of insulating material formed with a plurality of separate annular ridges and operatively connected with said gears to be rotated thereby, said ridges being provided, respectively, with numerically-increasing circuit making and breaking peripheral contacts, a brush at each said ridge against which said body rotates to JULIUS B. WANTZ,

In presence of J. H. LANDES, A. U. THORIEU. 

